These rows of red buildings in the Shenyang Imperial Palace are the offices of the Eight Banners, the administrative and military divisions in which all Manchurian households were placed, created by Nurhaci in 1600s to unite his people. Each banner had its own colour and border and served as armies during war times and as a organisational framework during others. As Mongol and Han forces joined the growing Qing military, the Mongol Eight Banners and the Han Eight Banners were also created alongside the Manchurian Eight Banners. Together they fought to establish the largest imperial dynasty in China’s history, the Qing dynasty.
For more information:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Banners
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_the_Qing_dynasty
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mukden_Palace
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